Start Over as a Startup

Facebook had it; so did Groupon. Most startups do.
It’s the X factor, a quality you can’t quite put your
finger on, but you know it when you see it. Too many
companies lose it over time.

The hundreds of thousands of small businesses starting
each year don’t share a fraction of Facebook and
Groupon’s success; instead they have a start date and an
end date, with little time in between. Coming to Website
Magazine from a dynamic startup myself, I can tell you
there’s a lot to learn from the in between. I encourage
you to reflect on your beginnings. Maybe it will help
your company get its X factor back.

Whether it’s the unrivaled passion of its staff, the adventurous
spirit of its owner or the unequalled opportunities
its management offers, one thing is for sure,
startups aren’t run on big dreams and good intentions.

At startups, employees often take on a number of
different job roles, working harder in return. Both
young and experienced professionals learn more about
a company and their skill set in this environment than
any other.

Encourage your employees to do the same. If you’ve
noticed Sally in accounting is active on social media,
make her a brand advocate and broaden her experience.
If Kyle in sales is a freelance writer, give him a shot at
writing website content. By providing your employees a
productive outlet for their talents and interests, you can
increase employee retention and overall job satisfaction.

At one point, someone took a chance on you; take a
chance on your employees. They won’t forget it.

Remember to also find common goals and shared
meaning among your staff. Startup employees are motivated
and solution oriented, because every milestone
at a startup is a shared one. A connected startup staff
will celebrate the office’s first water cooler as elatedly as
its first sale. Personal successes are company successes,
and there’s a camaraderie that’s difficult to duplicate.
I suggest trying. Post internal company news and employee
announcements in the break room, in a company
newsletter or in an internal part of your website,
anywhere that keeps communication open and evokes
team spirit.

Regular company functions are also a great way to
build solidarity. Finding ways to make sure it doesn’t impact
your bottom line can be tough, but get creative.
Hosting a lunch-hour potluck at the park is free and will
leave your staff in high spirits. When was the last time
you took an office-wide photo to publish on your Facebook
page? Set a date and gather the troops, they’ll enjoy
15 minutes away from their desk, and your fans will like
the glimpse into your company’s office life.

For all its amity, startups certainly aren’t without
their challenges. All go through growing pains, even
some downsizing and closure. Your established business
has more job security to offer its employees. This
is a selling point for not only retaining employees, but
also acquiring new ones. Once you get them, keep
them engaged.

Has employee engagement tapered off since your
company first started? Think about what you do personally
to encourage employee engagement. Now do
more. Move beyond a suggestion box, possibly offer
open forums to discuss new ideas or simply make senior-
level executives and ownership approachable, if they
aren’t already. Your employees are on the frontlines. They
understand the company’s hits and misses. Perhaps a
customer called to complain about the complicated
checkout procedure, and your staff member thought of
a way to simplify it. Give them a venue to share this information
with you.

Value their ideas; it might just be the next big one.
All startups succeed at one thing: excitement. Get
your staff excited and involved again. It starts with you.
After all, at one point, you were just a startup.